Complex Side Salads

Complex salads without a protein component are most often served in small portions as a side dish. Because most salads are cold foods and most entrées are served hot, chefs often wonder when it is appropriate to serve a complex salad as a side.

In formal cuisine, hot accompaniments are served with hot foods and cold accompaniments with cold foods. Thus, in formal dining, complex side salads should accompany only cold entrées, such as cold roast meats and cold poached seafood. For this reason, they are traditionally served as part of cold buffets and on cold entrée plates.